The present disclosure relates generally to a filtering device, and more particularly to a device used to filter or remove debris from a rain water carrying system. The device of the current disclosure is particularly suited for rain gutter downspouts used on structures such as homes, buildings, and the like, to divert rain water away from that structure as the rain hits a portion of that structure, such as the roof, and is directed down and through gutters and other water carrying elements.
For years, buildings have been equipped with gutters and downspouts for moving rainwater from roofs and away from foundations. Typically, the gutters of a building are connected to a number of downspouts to remove the rainwater from the gutter. A fixed angle elbow connector is typically utilized at the lower end, or exit end, of the downspout to exhaust the rainwater along the ground and in a direction away from the side of the building.
A known problem with gutter systems is debris, such as flora, including foliage, berries, needles, nuts, flowers, and the like, and fauna, including nests, remains and the like, can enter into a gutter system causing clogging and preventing the proper flow of water to the downspouts and through the gutter system.
The prior art includes solid gutter covers design to prevent the debris from entering the gutter system. The solid gutter covers are designed to channel water and debris over the top surface of the gutter cover. The gutter covers use the capillary effect to direct the water into a rain channel which then directs the water into the gutter. The gutter covers restrict entry of the debris into the rain channel and facilitate movement of the debris over and off the gutter cover surface.
The gutter covers have drawbacks when a downspout from the upper roof of a building directs water to the lower roof or during heavy rain periods. The amount of water flow from the upper roof downspout or the heavy rain exceeds the capacity of the solid gutter cover, causing water to flow over the solid gutter cover and by pass the rain channel. This can cause damage to and around the structure including erosion and foundation issues.
Other prior art devices have been designed with a filter to trap the debris but require manually removing of the filter for cleaning. If the filter is left unmaintained, the obstruction can create a serious rain water runoff and erosion problem. Other devices are self cleaning but lack features for easy installation. For example, the installation of some prior art devices to a rain gutter system, especially those connected to an underground drainage system, requires extensive digging to reach buried pipe in order to make the proper connection for the transport of the rain water away from the structure. Other prior art devices require connecting additional pipe to these prior art devices in order for the system to connect to an underground drainage system.
Additionally, other prior art devices include the connectors that attach to downspouts that direct the water to buried drain pipes of an underground drainage system. However, these prior art devices lack the capability to filter the debris from the system and thus cause clogged drains and possible damage to the structure to which they are attached as the debris builds in the system.
Thus there is a need in the art for a downspout drain connection and filter. Preferably this device includes a self-cleaning filter that removes debris from the liquid flow path of the downspout. Preferably this filtering is positioned such that the debris is removed before it enters any other downstream liquid carrying elements, such as an underground drainage system. Preferably this device is easily attached to existing downspouts and downstream liquid carrying elements and has a degree of flexibility to allow for adjustments in attachments on both the downstream liquid carrying element in and on the downspout connection end.